Chapter 401: A Lamp That Does Not Exist In This World

After thinking about that possibility, Chen Xiaolian was no longer able to shake it off.

He carefully scrutinized the combat blade in his hand.

The edge of the blade was sharp and a faint pattern could be seen on the surface of the blade. The long blade was somewhat shorter compared to that of a samurai’s. However, it was wider. Its hilt was also longer and the blade can be held with one hand or both hands.

As Chen Xiaolian was preoccupied with his inspection of the blade, Skyblade’s impatient voice interrupted him. “Just what are you waiting for?”

“… err.” Chen Xiaolian hesitated for a moment. In the end, he chose not to reveal that fact. He whispered in a vague tone, “The, the thing on the wall had disappeared. Going there now is pointless.”

Skyblade grunted with discontent. “Put me down then!”

Chen Xiaolian used both hands to carefully place the blade on the floor. Then, he sat down.

“We need to have a proper talk.” Chen Xiaolian tested the waters.

“Talk about what?” There was frustration in Skyblade’s voice. “As of now, I am unable to move my body or see. I can’t even move a single finger. There is no need for you to worry about me harming you.”

Chen Xiaolian secretly gave a wry smile. A finger? You don’t have a single finger right now.

After hesitating for a moment, Chen Xiaolian decided to continue testing Skyblade. “You… cannot move. If so, aren’t you afraid that I might harm you? We’re not acquaintances after all.”

“Hah!” There was conviction in Skyblade’s voice as he said, “You wouldn’t dare. You still do not understand this place and there are many things that you don’t know about. If you get me killed, you will have to stay here until the day you die.”

Chen Xiaolian was silent for a moment. “Can you tell me about how things were when you first came inside here?”

It took a moment before Skyblade replied in a rather downcast tone, “Some of my memories are no more.”

“In other words, there is a power in here that can erase memories?” Chen Xiaolian cast a vigilant look at his surroundings.

“Yes. Some memories will disappear while some won’t.” Skyblade’s answer was a peculiar one. “It is probably due to the restriction set down by the owner of this place, some sort of protective mechanism.”

“Which memories will disappear? Give me an example.”

“For example, how did I get into this building back then. I can no longer recall that.”

Chen Xiaolian’s mind raced and he said, “Then, I have another question. When I came here, it was because you told me that there is only one chance to enter the right place among the many buildings here. If I had entered the wrong one, I would have been in danger – so, how did you know about this back when you entered? Who told you about that?”

“… I don’t remember.”

Although that was Skyblade’s answer, Chen Xiaolian could detect the hollowness in his reply.

He was lying!

Chen Xiaolian’s mind lit up!

There was a flicker in Chen Xiaolian’s eyes and he continued asking, “If so, what happened after you enter this room? Can you tell me about it in detail?”

“After I enter?” Skyblade entered a silent state of contemplation for a moment before slowly saying, “After I entered, the door closed up and I was unable to open the door. There is something strange about the space here. No matter how I move or run, I was unable to reach the door. Although it was only one step away from me, it feels as though there was a distance of 8,000 li (1 li = 0.5 km) between me and the door.”

“Mm.” Chen Xiaolian nodded his head. “And?”

“And then there is this jade wall,” Skyblade slowly said. “This jade wall is something the owner left behind. There is an important secret hidden within this jade wall. By comprehending this jade wall, you can acquire some power that might be able to change some things.”

“Like what?” Chen Xiaolian smiled. “You are already the Guild Leader of a resident guild of Zero City and most certainly a high-ranking expert. Why would you need to go search for some power? As for changing of things… do you by chance mean the changing of fate? Could it be you think that Zero City is not secure?”

“Ha ha ha!” Skyblade laughed out loudly. “Do you think that Zero City is really a safe place?”

Chen Xiaolian deliberately used a confused tone in his reply. “For Awakened ones, is there anything that can provide more safety compared to Zero City?”

“The safest place is not really a safe place.” Skyblade sneered. “If Zero City is really a safe place, then why the other guilds in Zero City would constantly be embroiled in a struggle, putting their lives at risk? Why would every one of them be filled with a sense of crisis and why would they struggle with everything they have to increase their strength?

“It is because, the more you know, the stronger the sense of crisis becomes.”

Pausing, Skyblade then whispered, “The outside world is subjected to the powers of the main system and the Awakened ones outside are the equivalent to slaves of the main system.

“Then, what about the people inside Zero City?

“Are the people inside Zero City not enslaved by Zero City’s system?

“They too must bow down to another program.

“Do you think there is any difference there?

“The difference lies in the fact that the Awakened ones outside must go risk their lives inside the instance dungeons created by the main system.

“As for us residents of Zero City, we must obey Zero City’s system, accept its quest and go risk our lives for it.”

Oh? This is a novel thought.

Chen Xiaolian considered this argument but then he shook his head. “Wrong. The main program outside forces Awakened ones to participate in instance dungeons. The Awakened ones outside has no choice in the matter.

“But in Zero City…”

“There is essentially no difference between them!” Skyblade shouted. “Kid, use your head to think carefully.”

“Think?”

Skyblade snickered and said in a contemptuous voice, “The outside world = Awakened ones receives the constraints placed by the main system = forced to participate in instance dungeons = not participating means being punished. Thus, the result is that they will need to participate in the instance dungeons and risk their lives.

“What about Zero City then?

“In Zero City = resident guilds receives the constraints placed by Zero City’s system = in order to increase their strength, they need to fight for the additional allocation = they must compete for the resource quests by Zero City. Thus, the result is that they must participate in the quest and risk their lives.

“Kid, tell me. Where is the difference?”

Chen Xiaolian was left speechless.

“The only thing is, for the outside world, it would appear that the main system is forcing the Awakened ones to go risk their lives, making it so their participation becomes a necessity.

“As for Zero City, the system in Zero City uses benefits to attract the Awakened ones there to go risk their lives. In the end, the results are the same: Awakened ones must go do it.

“One side is being forced while the other does not appear forced, but rather, attracted to it.

“But it’s the same!”

Chen Xiaolian was momentarily lost for words and he could not figure out how to refute Skyblade’s words.

After considering it for a moment, Chen Xiaolian spoke up, “But…”

“No buts.” Skyblade said coldly. “Enough, now that you are here, there is finally hope for me to leave this Hellish place!

“My eyes can no longer see. I’ll have to depend on you.

“Right now, your task is to stare at this jade wall. Keep staring at it. If there is any discovery, hurry up and inform me. We’ll figure it out together. Only by comprehending it can we hope to escape this place.”

After saying that, Skyblade continued with a hint of frustration, “Do you see the lampstand in this room?”

“I see it.”

“The method to escape is simple. Comprehend the power in the jade wall and grasp it. Then, use the power to extinguish the flame on the lampstand. That way, we’ll be able to leave.”

“Extinguish the flame?” Chen Xiaolian’s eyes lit up.

“You think it’s simple?” Skyblade suddenly laughed out loudly. “Kid! Do you know how many methods I have used only to fail to extinguish it?”

Chen Xiaolian immediately stood up. He pulled out his Sword in the Stone and moved toward the lampstand.

The flame on the lampstand was as big as a bean and was weak and faint. It appeared as though it could go out at any given moment.

Chen Xiaolian first attempted to blow it.

Useless!

The gust of wind he sent forward blew past the lamp’s fire but it remained motionless. While it continued in its weak state, it remained lit.

Chen Xiaolian felt surprised and he proceeded to extend his fingers out toward the flickering flame.

He tried to pinch the wick.

He did it.

His fingers pinched the wick and the flames immediately turned dim. Chen Xiaolian became overjoyed.

To his dismay, when he released his fingers, the flickering flame reappeared!

Faint and dim, but it remained lit!

Chen Xiaolian thought about it. Then, he suddenly took a step back and raised his Sword in the Stone.

Without hesitation, he slashed down on the lampstand!

When the Sword in the Stone descended upon the lampstand, Chen Xiaolian’s eyes were wide open as he carefully observed what was happening.

The next instant…

Hu!

The blade of the sword slashed down from above the lampstand, easily cutting the lampstand apart and going all the way down, creating a series of sparks in the process!

However, when Chen Xiaolian regarded it again, he saw that the lampstand remained intact!

The Hell!

Just now, he had clearly seen the blade of his sword slash down, cleaving the lampstand in two!

He took a deep breath and raised the Sword in the Stone once more.

This time, he used the Demon King of Confusion’s Three Axes skill.

The three axes skill was executed and the swings of his sword intersected through the air.

Amid the sword swings, the lampstand continued standing in place. The descending sword strikes could not affect the lampstand in the slightest.

It was clearly right here. However, it was as though it had become a virtual existence and the blade of the sword easily penetrated through the lampstand’s body without causing it any damage.

It… was like a holographic projection! It had no real body?!

Chen Xiaolian was stunned.

He stopped swinging his sword and reached out with his hand to touch the lampstand.

It felt cold to the touch.

His hand could clearly feel it. It was a solid object.

But if so, why…

“You can see it, touch it, but you cannot extinguish it. Once you threaten its existence, it will become an illusory silhouette and you would be unable to hit its body.” Skyblade who was beside him sighed. “I believe that this must be something similar to the rules in this room. The lamp appear be exist before us. However, it is in fact in another space. However, the point in space that this lamp is occupying is intersecting with this point in this room.

“We cannot land any attacks on it from this space because we cannot land any attacks on objects in another space. Unless… you can cut through the barrier between spaces. However, that type of power… I don’t have it!”

Chen Xiaolian was stunned.

It was at that moment that a feeling of terror sprouted up within Chen Xiaolian’s heart.

If I really end up getting trapped here… then what?

Even someone like Skyblade ended up getting trapped here. As for me… can I get out?

Looking at the blade lying on the floor…

Chen Xiaolian felt a chill running down his heart!

Just what kind of power is this? It could even turn Skyblade into a blade!

If so… what about me?

If I stay here for too long, would I…

What will i become?

Cold sweat trickled down Chen Xiaolian’s forehead!

…

Pure white snow could be seen for thousands of li.

There were many mountains here, but it remained a snow-white world.

There was a peculiar looking house above a cliff.

A figure dropped down upon the top area of the snow covered cliff like a huge bird swooping down. As the figure was halfway down, the umbrella in the figure’s hand spread open.

The momentum of the figure’s fall decreased.

This human figure descended upon the front part of the house above the cliff. The figure’s hand softly stretched out and made contact with the door of the house. With a flash, the figure had entered the house.

Within the dark room of the house, the figure took off his cloak to reveal a distinguished looking face whose eyebrows revealed an atmosphere of solitude.

He gently tidied up his umbrella and casually put it by the door.

In the middle of the house was a table.

Surprisingly, what was placed on the table was a lamp!

The flame of the lamp was as big as a bean.

The flame swayed lightly and the man moved until he was before the table. The details on his face gradually became clearer.

His eyes stared intently at the flame on the lamp and a complicated smile appeared through his eyes.

“It appears… things are progressing much faster than I had expected.”